TransCanada places Topolobampo pipeline into service

TransCanada has placed its Topolobampo Pipeline into service in northern Mexico, where it will provide 19 million m3/day of natural gas to the Chihuahua and Sinaloa markets.

The project, which represents an investment of approximately US$1.2 billion and creates an upstream interconnection with the Mazatlan Pipeline, involved the installation of 560 km of 30 inch (762 mm) diameter pipeline from Chihuahua to Topolobampo.

The Topolobampo and Mazatlan pipelines form a system of more than 870 km of critical energy infrastructure that will deliver natural gas to power plants, industrial and urban markets for the economic development of the northwest region of Mexico.

A demanding geology created construction challenges that TransCanada used innovative techniques to overcome, including raised bore crossings and air crane pipeline transport.

“The completion of the Topolobampo and Mazatlan pipeline system is an important milestone for TransCanada as we continue to expand our portfolio to deliver natural gas to serve Mexico’s electric generation needs,” said TransCanada Mexico President Robert Jones.

“We are developing the infrastructure to feed new power plants and convert existing fuel oil and diesel power plants, thereby reducing both the cost of electricity and greenhouse gas emissions.

“We are proud of the way we overcame technical challenges and completed this difficult project safely.”